Take A Sad Song And Make It Better
by autumnrose2010
Summary: Rose has leukemia and needs a bone marrow transplant. Dimitri is the only one who can save her life. But they haven't seen one another in ten years. What will it be like when they meet again? All human AU.
1. The Diagnosis

_Leukemia. _The word resounded over and over again in Rose's brain like a death knell. She simply couldn't believe it. She was only twenty-five.

She felt as if she were an actress in a play as she walked back to her car and unlocked the door. Her chemotherapy sessions would start tomorrow, the doctor had told her. Surely she would soon awaken to discover that it had only been a bad dream.

She'd felt fine until only a few weeks ago, until the unusual tiredness and weakness had set in, and then the unexplainable bruises had began to appear. Convinced that she was, at worst, anemic, she'd gone to the doctor's office for a check-up and blood tests. The doctor's voice had sounded grave as he'd called to tell her that he needed to discuss the results of the blood tests with her right away, but never in her wildest dreams had she imagined the gravity of the diagnosis.

How would she tell her parents? She'd have to tell them something soon, she knew. Rose was especially worried about how her mother would take the news. She'd always been somewhat overprotective of her only daughter.

The car's radio was on, but Rose didn't really hear it. Soon it was dinnertime, but she wasn't really hungry. That night she lay awake in bed with tears streaming down her cheeks and dripping onto the pillow.

After several weeks of what seemed like nonstop vomiting, Rose was called in for another meeting with her doctor.

"The chemotherapy seems to be giving excellent results," Dr. White told her. "The next step will be a bone marrow transplant. I have begun a search for a compatible bone marrow donor. Hopefully, one will be found soon."

"What's a bone marrow transplant like?"

"Basically, we destroy your own diseased bone marrow and inject healthy bone marrow from a donor into your spinal column."

Rose's eyes widened. "Won't that hurt?"

"A local anesthetic will be administered, but you'll feel some discomfort, yes."

Rose felt weak and shaky with fright as she drove back home. She'd never had an injection into her spine before, and the idea terrified her.

Dr. White called her several days later. "Great news! A compatible bone marrow donor has just been located. You are to report to the hospital Monday morning at ten o'clock sharp, where the procedure is to take place."

"Who's to be my bone marrow donor?" asked Rose. Dr. White told her the name, and Rose almost dropped the phone in shock.

Ten Years Earlier

"I'm sorry, Rose," Dimitri said."My father accepted the job in California. We start packing tomorrow. This is good-bye."

"I love you, Dimitri." Rose began to cry. "I'm going to miss you."

"I love you too, Rose." Dimitri lightly touched her chin, lifted her face to look into her eyes. "Please don't cry, Rose. I promise I'll write, and as soon as I'm able to, I'll come back to visit."

Rose received three letters from Dimitri after his family moved to California. The third letter told her that he had met and fallen in love with a girl named Tasha and that he wouldn't be writing anymore.


	2. The Procedure

She recognized him as soon as she saw him again in the waiting room. Just as tall, just as thin, the same shoulder-length dark brown hair, the same brown eyes.

"Rose!" He grinned and his face lit up when he saw her. She frowned, and he looked puzzled.

"It wasn't very nice, what you did," she mumbled.

"I'm sorry," he said. "But what else could I have done? We were on opposite sides of the country. Tasha was right there, ready, willing, and available. I know it hurt you, and I'm really sorry for that, but..."

"Thank you for agreeing to save my life," Rose said. Her voice was barely audible as she blinked back the tears.

"Oh, Rose, of _course _I couldn't just let you die, not if there was anything at all that I could do." He touched her arm and tried to look into her eyes, but she refused to look up.

A moment later, they were both being called in for their respective procedures.

Rose shivered, not only from the freezing temperature of the room, but also from fear, as she undressed down to her underwear, donned the proffered hospital gown, and lay face-down on the table's hard surface.

"You're going to feel a little sting now," the nurse told her. To Rose, it felt more as if a burning poker were being plunged into her spine.

"Now you'll feel some heavy pressure, but it'll be over with soon," the nurse continued.

With wonder Rose contemplated the fact that a part of Dimitri's body was now being injected into her own body, that it would save her life, that without it, she would die.

Was she grateful to him? Why, of _course _she was! Was that enough to take away the pain of his rejection all those years ago? No, that pain would always be there. _Always. _Would she ever meet a man who could take that pain away? It was doubtful, _very _doubtful. Dr. White had given her only a fifteen percent chance of remaining fertile after the radiation and chemotherapy treatments. What man would want to marry a woman who couldn't even give him a child?

After the procedure was over, Rose lay in the recovery room for several hours, then was released. Dimitri was released at about the same time, and the two of them met in the hallway on the way out.

"I want to apologize for my earlier behavior," Rose said. Dimitri looked at her, startled.

"I should have been more polite to you. After all, you _did _just save my life."

"Oh, that's all right!" Dimitri chuckled. "It was perfectly understandable, under the circumstances."

"I suppose you'll be returning to California now," said Rose.

"Actually, Vanessa and I will be staying here in Montana for awhile," Dimitri told her. "My Uncle Vasily, my Aunt Galina, and my cousin Anatoly and his family just immigrated from Russia, and I'm helping them get settled in."

"Vanessa? I thought her name was Tasha."

Dimitri laughed. "Vanessa's my daughter. Tasha was my wife, but we've been divorced for a couple of years now. She left me for someone else."


	3. Dinner Date

_Good! _Rose thought fiercely. _Now you know how it feels!_

"What about you? Are you married now?" Dimitri asked.

"Uh...no." Rose had been distracted at first and almost hadn't heard him. "I came close a couple of times, but it never worked out." To Rose's consternation, Dimitri looked pleased.

"Say, Rose," he said. "How about if I get a sitter for Vanessa and take you out to dinner sometime? After all, you _do _owe me for saving your life."

"I don't owe you a damn thing," Rose retorted, but the dejected look on his face touched her heart.

"I know you don't," he said sadly. "Well, anyway, I'm awfully glad I was able to help you, and I hope you have a complete recovery and a long, healthy life."

"I'm sorry, Dimitri." Rose was near tears. "Of _course _I owe you. And...and..."

"And?" He smiled as he gently touched her cheek. Just as a much younger Dimitri had touched her cheek all those years ago...

"Well...it would be nice to catch up again, wouldn't it?"

"Great!" He grinned. "I'll pick you up at six on Friday."

By Friday evening, Rose had begun to wonder whether it had been a mistake to accept the date with Dimitri. She hadn't been on a date in ages, and she'd lost so much weight during chemotherapy that none of the few nice outfits she owned really fit her right. At last she chose a black dress that didn't slide off the shoulders too badly and a wide belt to put with it that helped to conceal the extra folds of material.

Promptly at six, Dimitri arrived on Rose's doorstep holding a large bouquet of flowers, smelling of cologne, and so nicely dressed that Rose gasped in spite of herself.

"Please, come in," she said.

"Wow, you look like a million bucks!" Dimitri exclaimed.

Rose gave a small smile. "It's old," she said dismissively.

"So, what kind of work do you do?" Rose asked Dimitri as they were eating.

"I teach history at a high school," said Dimitri. "What kind of work do you do?"

"I work in a library," said Rose.

They ate silently for a few minutes.

"So, what happened with Tasha?" Rose wasn't sure she really wanted to know, but curiosity had gotten the best of her at last.

"Well, things started going downhill not long after Vanessa was born," Dimitri said. "Tasha never really did want to be a mother. It was an unplanned pregnancy. I was thrilled; Tasha much less so. She even threatened to get an abortion once. I was able to talk her out of that, thank goodness. After Vanessa was born, Tasha refused to give up partying and acting wild. She finally ran off with the guitar player in the band that played at her favorite lounge. To be honest, I was relieved to see her go. All the love between us was gone by then anyway."

Rose's eyes filled with tears. Dimitri lightly touched her cheek. "Hey, what is it?" he asked softly.

"I always wanted so badly to be a mother," Rose said softly. "Now I probably never will be."

"Why not?"

"The doctor told me that the radiation and chemotherapy would leave me with only a fifteen percent chance of ever being able to get pregnant."

"Oh, Rose, I'm so sorry." An awkward silence followed. "Well, think of it this way. At least you're still alive, and if you want children later, you can always adopt."

"But it's not the same thing," Rose said.

"I know." Dimitri reached across the table and took both Rose's hands into his own. "I really wish that there were something I could say to make you feel better, Rose."

"It's all right. I don't mean to burden you with my troubles." Rose smiled weakly.

"Don't worry about it at all. I'm your friend, Rose. You can tell me anything you want. Anything at all."


	4. Daisies

_Anything at all? Including how heartsick the story he'd just told her about Tasha had made her? Why couldn't it have been Tasha who got leukemia instead of me? _she thought angrily.

"What I just told you about Tasha upset you, didn't it?" Dimitri asked gently.

"It just seems so unfair," Rose replied.

_"Life's _unfair," Dimitri agreed. "But it also holds wonderful surprises sometimes."

_Like me getting cancer? _Rose wanted to ask sarcastically, but didn't.

"Thank you very much for dinner, Dimitri," Rose said when the meal had ended. "I really enjoyed it."

"It's no problem at all," Dimitri said generously. "I enjoyed it very much as well. I'd love to see you again, if that's all right."

"I think I'd like that," Rose said with a smile.

"It's settled, then." Dimitri grinned back.

Rose had a very sad dream that night. In it, Dimitri stood on a train's platform holding a single daisy. Rose and Tasha were both running toward him, but Rose found that, to her frustration, she was running in place, so that Tasha easily outran her and made it to Dimitri. She climbed up onto the platform beside him, and he smiled at her and handed her the daisy.

Rose suddenly found that she was now running forward and soon reached Dimitri and Tasha.

"I'm sorry, Rose," said Dimitri. "I don't have another flower to give you." The train with Dimitri and Tasha on it began to move forward, leaving Rose standing alone. Rose woke up sobbing.

The following evening, Dimitri called. "I just wanted to tell you once again what a lovely time I had last night," he told Rose.

"I'm really happy to hear your voice," Rose replied. "I had a really bad dream last night." Despite her previous determination not to, she found herself telling him the details of the dream anyway.

When she was finished, he gave a low whistle. "Oh, Rose, I'm so sorry," he said. "Poor girl. You've suffered a lot in life. I know I can't give back to you everything you've lost, but I'd like to try to make it up to you as best I can."

"It's not your fault," Rose told him. "It's not your responsibility to make up for everything in my life that sucks. I didn't tell you my dream just to make you feel sorry for me. I told you my dream because...because...well, to be honest, I'm not exactly sure why I told it to you. Perhaps because you told me that I could tell you anything at all and I was calling your bluff."

Dimitri burst out laughing. "I'll tell you one thing for sure. Your cancer didn't touch your sense of humor." His voice changed and became more serious. "I know it's not my responsibility, Rose, but can't you see? I _want _to do everything I can to make you happy, because I...listen, Roza, I care about you very much. I want you to know that."

Rose couldn't answer him back because she had a lump in her throat and knew that if she tried, she'd start sobbing.

The following afternoon, Dimitri showed up on Rose's doorstep carrying a large bouquet of daisies.

"Oh, Dimitri, they're beautiful!" Rose exclaimed. "Thank you!"

Dimitri grinned. "Read the card."

Rose opened the beautiful card that was attached to the bouquet. It said, 'Nothing but sweet dreams from now on. Love, Dimitri.'

Rose, too overcome for words, could only cling to him as he patted her back and murmured comforting words. "It's all right. Everything's all right."

Friday evening, Rose was waiting for Dimitri to pick her up for their date when she received an unexpected phone call.

"Rose, I'm awfully sorry, but I'm going to have to cancel our date for tonight," Dimitri said. "Vanessa just started running a high fever and complaining that her ear hurts. I'm going to have to take her to the emergency room."

"Oh, no!" Rose exclaimed. "Poor baby!"

"I really hate to do this to you, but I promise I'll make it up to you," Dimitri continued. "We'll do something extra special next weekend. How's that?"

"Oh, that's all right!" Rose told him. "I just want Vanessa to be all right!"

"Thank you for being so understanding," Dimitri said.

Rose stayed home and rented a movie and drank wine coolers and made microwave popcorn. Soon she was so absorbed in the movie that she'd almost completely forgotten about Dimitri.

Dimitri called Sunday evening.

"How's Vanessa?" asked Rose.

"Much better." Dimitri sounded tremendously relieved. "They put her on antibiotics, and now she's running around and playing just like normal. I would have called you sooner, Rose, but we were in the emergency room until well past midnight, and when we finally got home, all I wanted to do was sleep."

"That's all right. Don't worry about it," said Rose.

"We _will _do something extra nice this weekend," said Dimitri. "Oh, Rose, I can't wait to see you again!"

Rose looked at the daisies he'd brought her and suddenly felt that she couldn't wait to see him again either.


	5. Ferris Wheel

Monday evening Rose's phone rang and, to her surprise, Dimitri was on the other end of the line.

"Is everything all right?" she asked.

"Everything's fine," Dimitri quickly assured her. "I just got a little lonesome and wanted to hear your voice again. That's all."

"Well, I'm glad you called," Rose told him. "I miss hearing your voice too."

Dimitri called Rose almost every evening that week. Friday night he told her to be ready the next morning because he was coming to pick her up.

"Where are you taking me?" she asked him.

"It's a surprise!" he said mysteriously.

Saturday morning, Rose was ready and waiting when Dimitri arrived at seven o'clock.

"Rose!" he cried happily, giving her a quick hug and kiss on the cheek. She stared at him in surprise.

"Oh, I'm sorry." He immediately looked contrite. "It's just that I'm so very happy to see you again."

She smiled at his words. She couldn't help it. She got in his car and they were soon on their way.

"Are you still not going to tell me where we're going?" she teased.

"Nope." He grinned and shook his head.

"Well, how do you know I'm going to like it, then?"

"You will. Trust me."

After driving for several hours, they reached an amusement park, and Dimitri pulled into the parking lot.

"Oh, wow!" Rose exclaimed. "I haven't been here in years!"

Dimitri chuckled. "I told you you'd like it."

"Why didn't you bring Vanessa along?" asked Rose.

"Then we'd be stuck with just the kiddie rides, wouldn't we?" Dimitri laughed. "We'll bring her along next time. How's that? I wanted it to be just you and me this time." He took her hand and they walked toward the entrance.

They rode the Ferris wheel, the roller coaster, the Himalaya Express, and the Scrambler. Then they walked through the fun house and went on the giant slide. After awhile Rose got hungry and Dimitri bought hot dogs. They ate them sitting at a covered table outdoors while watching the juggler and the flame swallower perform. Then they went on the carousel.

"This is the first day I've felt completely normal in so long I can't remember when," Rose exulted. "I don't even feel like I have cancer."

"To me you're not a cancer patient," Dimitri replied. "To me you're just Rose." He bought cotton candy and they walked around looking at exhibits. Then they went on a few more rides and to the petting zoo.

Soon it started to get dark. They had spaghetti and later went on the double Ferris wheel.

"Wow, this is so romantic!" Rose exclaimed when they got to the top.

Dimitri's arm slowly went around her shoulders, and she cuddled up to him. "Yes, it is," he agreed. Her head now rested on his shoulder. She felt him lightly kiss her forehead. Almost without thinking, she raised her lips to meet his.

His lips were warm, moist, inviting. Not wanting to pull away, she lingered, and a moment later, felt the tip of his tongue touch hers. Startled, she jerked away.

"I'm sorry," he said. "It's just that you're so beautiful..."

"It's all right," she replied. "I wanted it too."

Suddenly he was embracing her tightly and his lips were on hers again, his hands stroking her hair. They almost didn't notice when it was time to get off the Ferris wheel.

On the way home, Rose was so tired that she fell asleep in the car. Dimitri had to gently shake her awake when they reached her home.

"Oh! Sorry," she mumbled.

"That's all right." He laughed. "I had a wonderful time today, Rose. I'm so glad we did it."

"So am I," said Rose. "Thank you so much, Dimitri."

"You're very welcome. It was my pleasure. Are you going to be all right?"

"I'll be fine." She smiled.

"Good-night then, sweet Rose. See you again really soon."

"Good-night, Dimitri." He kissed her as he had on the Ferris wheel, and this time she didn't pull away.


	6. Stacy

"Thank you so much for watching Vanessa for me," Dimitri told the babysitter, Stacy.

"Oh, no problem at all," Stacy replied. "She was a perfect little angel. Did you have fun today?"

"Oh, yes." Dimitri grinned. "Rose really enjoyed herself too, I could tell. Today she seemed happier and healthier than I've seen her since she was a teenager."

"That's good," said Stacy.

After Stacy had left, Dimitri checked in on Vanessa asleep in her toddler bed before going to bed himself. Her blonde hair cascading over the pillow, her dark eyelashes soft against her round cheeks, her lips slightly parted, and the gentle movement of her chest up and down made his heart swell with love. He thought of Tasha and what she'd thrown away, then of Rose and the look that had been in her eyes when she'd told him of her probable infertility. He felt profoundly sad. No, life _wasn't _fair.

With an odd mixture of gratitude and compassion, he silently closed Vanessa's door and went to bed, thinking of the daisies he'd given Rose as he drifted off to sleep. In truth he wanted to give her more than just daisies, much more, but could everything he could give her ever really be enough? Could he make her happy, or would there always be a deep longing inside her for something that could probably never be?

* * *

Stacy smirked as she drove home from babysitting Vanessa. Vanessa was a cute little kid, all right, but her father was totally hot! Stacy had lusted after Dimitri from the moment she'd first laid eyes on him and considered his interest in Rose to be a temporary setback. How on earth could he be so captivated by a woman who had such serious medical issues when he could instead be with herself, Stacy, who was perfectly healthy? He'd saved Rose's life by donating bone marrow to her, and of course that had inevitably created an emotional bond, and certainly pity played a part as well. But how long could the weak, sick young woman hold his affections when he was tempted by the charms of the healthy, vibrant, sexy Stacy?

_He shall be mine, _Stacy told herself determinedly as she pulled into her driveway.

* * *

Rose's weakened overall condition finally caught up with her as soon as she was inside. As long as she'd been with Dimitri, she'd been having so much fun that she'd practically forgotten that she had cancer, but as soon as she was alone, she quickly felt all the energy drain from her body. Too tired to change into her pajamas, she barely made it to the bed before collapsing into a deep sleep from which she didn't awaken until noon of the following day.

Sunday morning, it occurred to Dimitri that perhaps, considering Rose's condition, they'd overdone it the previous day. Wanting so badly to show Rose a good time, he'd quite forgotten the need to take it easy. Worried sick that she'd gotten overly tired, possibly even to the point of having a detrimental affect on her health, he longed to call and make sure that she was all right, but afraid of awakening her, decided that he should wait until at least noon to do so.

At exactly 12:01 pm, he called her, and she answered on the third ring.

"Hello?" she mumbled sleepily.

"Rose? Are you all right?" Dimitri asked anxiously.

"Yeah, I guess so." She yawned. "A bit tired from yesterday, but it was worth it. Are _you _all right?"

Relief flooded through Dimitri. "Oh, don't worry about me," he chuckled. "I'm always great after I've been with you."

"How's Vanessa?"

"Oh, she's fine. Finger painting with macaroni and cheese sauce at the moment."

They chatted for a few more minutes and then Dimitri, fearful of overtiring Rose, said good-bye, promising to call again soon.

* * *

Stacy stopped the car just outside Rose's home. Knowing that the other woman was almost certainly still asleep at this hour, she quietly and swiftly made her way to Rose's door, tied an object to the door handle with a ribbon, and then swiftly left before she could be seen by any of the neighbors.


	7. At The Park

After talking on the telephone with Dimitri, Rose dragged herself out of bed, trudged to the kitchen, and poured herself a glass of orange juice and a bowl of cereal with milk. She was about halfway finished with her breakfast when she heard a slight noise outside and went to investigate. As soon as she stepped outside, she noticed the red rose fastened to the door's handle with a ribbon. Attached to the rose was a short note. 'Rose, please meet me at the park at one o'clock. I'm bringing a picnic lunch. Love, Dimitri.' A pair of lips wearing red lipstick had kissed the note.

Rose glanced at her watch, gasped, and hurried to dress and make it to the park in time. When she got there, Dimitri was nowhere to be found. Wondering whether she'd arrived early, she glanced at her watch and saw that she was actually about five minutes late. She decided to casually stroll around to give Dimitri a bit more time to show up before she began to worry.

She'd only taken a few steps when someone grabbed her from behind, clapping their hand over her mouth.

"If you scream I'll kill you!" a voice whispered menacingly. She turned to look at a blonde woman of about her own age who had cold, hate-filled blue eyes. The woman held a pocket knife to Rose's throat.

"Take it. Take it all!" Rose's voice shook as she shoved her purse at the woman. "Please, just don't hurt me!"

"That's not what I want."

"What _do _you want, then?" Rose's eyes widened with fright.

"I want you to leave Dimitri Belikov alone," the blonde demanded. "He's _mine, _Rose. You'd better keep your hands off him, or else!"

"Or else what? Who are you, anyway?"

"It doesn't matter who I am, but if you don't break it off with Dimitri right away, something really bad is going to happen to his little girl, Vanessa!"

"You wouldn't _dare _hurt a child!" Rose gasped, horrified.

"Try me and see." The other woman grinned, an evil grin. "Don't you dare go to the police either. Don't you ever say a word about this to anyone. Something even worse will happen if you do." She grabbed the front of Rose's T-shirt in her fist and then pushed Rose almost hard enough to knock her down.

"I mean it, Rose. Break it off with Dimitri right away or Vanessa goes missing."

With tears in her eyes and a heavy heart, Rose drove back home. She couldn't bear the thought of never seeing Dimitri again, but what if the woman's threats hadn't been idle? Rose knew that she'd never be able to live with herself if something bad happened to Vanessa because she'd failed to break it off with Dimitri. She knew what she had to do.

With her heart breaking, she dialed Dimitri's number as soon as she got home. He answered on the first ring.

"Rose! What's up?"

"Dimitri, I'm...I'm sorry, but I can't see you anymore."

_"What?!" _Dimitri was shocked.

"I can't go out with you anymore, Dimitri." Rose had never felt more miserable in her entire life.

"But..._why, _Rose? Is it something I've done?"

"Oh, no, nothing like that. It's just that...just that I can't see you anymore. That's all. I'm sorry, but I have to go now." Rose hung up and cried until there were no more tears left.

Dimitri sat holding the receiver in his hand, his mind reeling. It made no sense at all. Until that moment, Rose had given every indication that she enjoyed being with him and genuinely cared for him. That she would suddenly end things with no explanation whatsoever left him utterly bewildered.

He didn't have long to dwell on it as Vanessa was soon clamoring for his attention.

As soon as Vanessa was settled for the night, however, it hit him full force again. Rose had called him claiming that she didn't want to go out with him anymore. However baffling that fact may seem, he had to accept that it was indeed true. Whatever her reason, she'd made her choice, and he had to accept it.

His doorbell rang and, to his astonishment, there on his doorstep stood a scantily dressed Stacy holding a bottle of wine.

"Well, aren't you going to invite me in?" she asked.


	8. A Disturbing Discovery

_A/N: This chapter contains a small amount of 'M' rated material but nothing terribly graphic._

"Of course. Come on in." Dimitri stepped aside so that Stacy could enter. "You'll have to excuse me if I'm not much of a conversationalist at the moment. I'm having kind of a bad day."

"What's wrong?"

"Rose just called out of the blue and told me she doesn't want to see me anymore. I thought we had a really good thing going. I just don't understand it."

"Oh, I'm sorry!" Stacy's voice oozed sympathy. "That must really hurt. I know how much you cared for her."

"I loved her, Stacy."

Stacy was in the kitchen pouring the wine. She brought a glass to Dimitri and then sat on the sofa beside him. "Well, I know it must be hard for you to understand right now, but perhaps it's for the best. After all, with her health problems, you never know when she might have taken a turn for the worse." Stacy began to massage Dimitri's shoulders. "Wow, you're so tense! Let me help you relax."

Dimitri mumbled something unintelligible.

"Oh, it looks like you're almost out of wine. Let me get you a refill." Stacy brought Dimitri another full glass of wine. As he drank, she busied herself with removing his shoes and massaging his feet.

"Mm. You're wonderful, Stace," Dimitri slurred.

Stacy sat on the sofa beside him again and began to kiss him. He didn't resist. She ran her fingers through his hair, then pulled his shirt off.

They lay together on the sofa, kissing passionately, Stacy's hands roaming all over Dimitri's body, he beginning to respond. She unbuckled his belt, unzipped his pants, and slid them and his underwear down, releasing his erect member.

"Oh, my!" Stacy moaned when she saw it. "You have such a nice, big, beautiful one!" Her fingers began to fondle him, making him even harder, and she was just about to slip him into her mouth when a scream came from Vanessa's bedroom.

"Vanessa!" Dimitri was instantly on his feet, pulling his shirt on, pulling his pants up and zipping them, and dashing for his daughter's bedroom. "Daddy!" cried Vanessa, who was sitting up in bed crying.

"I'm right here, sweetheart." Vanessa wrapped her arms around her father's neck, and he held her tightly, soothing her. "It's all right, Vanessa. I'm here. It's all right."

Dimitri held Vanessa and comforted her until her sobs dwindled down to sniffles. Dimitri tried to return her to her bed, but she held on tightly, refusing to let go. "Can I sleep in bed with you tonight, Daddy?"

"Of course you can, sweetheart." Still fully dressed, Dimitri got into his own bed and allowed Vanessa to snuggle up to him. Soon they were both sleeping soundly. In the living room, Stacy got tired of waiting for Dimitri to return to her and left.

The following morning, Dimitri remembered the events of the previous night and was filled with shame and remorse. He recalled Stacy arriving on his doorstep with the wine, inviting her in, drinking the wine as she massaged his feet. Until Vanessa had screamed, he didn't remember much after that, but he intuitively sensed that he'd behaved in a manner in which he never would have while sober.

The telephone call from Rose also haunted him. Now that he'd had time to really consider it, he realized that she'd sounded quite out of character. Thus far Rose had always seemed so honest and forthright, yet during that particular conversation, she'd seemed so secretive, almost as if she were trying to protect him from something. Had her medical condition worsened? Had she broken their relationship off in an attempt to spare him the agony of watching her slowly slip away? How he longed to tell her that, no matter what her condition was, he wanted to be by her side until the very end, that he wanted to be holding her hand when she passed from this life to whatever might be beyond it, that he couldn't bear the thought of her having to go through that alone.

Yet what if she really _didn't _want to speak to him again? The last thing he wanted was to cause her any more stress than what she was already under.

For most of that week he agonized over whether or not to contact Rose. By Friday, he simply couldn't take it anymore and dialed her number. There was no answer. Feeling increasingly anxious, he left Vanessa with his Aunt Galina and rushed over to her home. Noticing that her car was there, he rang her doorbell but got no answer. Thinking that she might be in the restroom or shower, he waited a few minutes and then rang the doorbell again. When he still didn't get an answer, he looked into her window and saw her lying motionless on the sofa. Frantically he beat on the window and screamed her name, but she didn't stir.


	9. Saving Rose Again

"What on earth is going on?" Dimitri turned to see a middle-aged woman looking at him suspiciously.

"Do you know Rose?" he asked.

"Of course I do! I'm her next-door neighbor," the woman told him.

"I'm a good friend of hers, and I'm worried sick about her," said Dimitri. "I haven't heard from her in a week, so I stopped by to see if she's all right. She's lying on the sofa and doesn't hear the doorbell. She must be unconscious."

"Then we'd better call for an ambulance!" the woman exclaimed.

The ambulance arrived shortly afterwards, and Rose's door was forced open. Dimitri watched as a paramedic checked Rose's pulse and shone a flashlight into her eyes.

"Normal pupillary response," he reported. "Pulse very weak but regular."

Relief washed over Dimitri as the woman he loved was placed on a stretcher and wheeled to the waiting ambulance. He asked if he could ride along to the hospital.

"Are you a family member?" asked the paramedic.

"No, but I'm a very close friend," Dimitri replied.

"Well...all right, then," the paramedic conceded.

All the way to the hospital, Dimitri sat beside Rose, holding her hand and speaking soothingly to her. "It's going to be all right, Rose. Everything's going to be fine. I'm here, sweetheart, and I love you so very much. Everything's going to be all right."

At the hospital, Rose was immediately wheeled into Intensive Care while a nurse asked Dimitri a barrage of questions. He told her that she had a diagnosis of leukemia but had received chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant and had seemed to be doing very well until today.

Afterwards, Dimitri paced the floor of the waiting room for what seemed like hours until finally a doctor arrived with news.

"She's stable for now," he told Dimitri. "She was severely dehydrated, and her electrolytes got all out of whack. She's being given fluids through an IV now and should be fine."

"When can I go in and see her?" asked Dimitri.

"Whenever you want, but she's asleep right now," the doctor told him.

Dimitri entered Rose's cubicle to see her resting peacefully. He sat beside her watching her sleep, and eventually her eyelids began to flutter.

"Dimitri?" she asked, very weakly.

"I'm right here, sweetheart." He took her hand.

"Dimitri." She repeated his name. "Don't leave me."

"I'm not going anywhere." He gathered her into his arms as best he could without dislodging the IV.

"I...I love you, Dimitri."

"I love you too, Roza." He kissed her forehead.

"She told me not to see you anymore," Rose mumbled.

_"Who _told you not to see me anymore?" Dimitri was shocked.

"The woman in the park," Rose said. "She...she told me that I had to stop seeing you, or...or she would hurt Vanessa. She...had a knife..."

Suddenly it hit Dimitri like a bolt of lightning. _"Stacy." _And he'd thought he'd _known _her."No wonder..."

Suddenly all he felt was compassion and overwhelming love for Rose. "Oh, Roza, I'm so sorry!" He held her as tightly as he could and stroked her hair.

"What...what can I do? I can't...can't let her hurt...Vanessa..."

"Listen to me, Rose." He lifted her chin and looked into her eyes. "It's going to be all right. As soon as I'm one hundred percent sure you're out of the woods, I'm going to the courthouse and getting a restraining order placed against Stacy. She'll never be able to bother you or me again."

"Stacy?"

"She was Vanessa's babysitter. I kind of thought she must have a thing for me, but I had no idea how much of a psycho she was."

"I was so scared...she held the knife to my throat..."

"I know, sweetheart." Dimitri felt as if he were about to cry. "I know you were scared. But you don't have to be anymore. She'll never come near you again. I'm going to make sure of that. All you have to do is rest and get better. I love you, Roza."

"I love you too, Dimitri." She went to sleep in his arms, and he gently lay her back in the bed.


	10. Meeting Vanessa

Rose recovered quickly and was released from the hospital a few days later. Dimitri was there to drive her home.

"I want you to stay with me and Vanessa for a few days, Roza," he told her. "I want to make absolutely sure that you really are going to be OK so that I won't have to sit around worrying about you all the time."

"But you only have two bedrooms!"

"You can sleep in my bed. I'll take the sofa."

"Oh, no, Dimitri. I could never do that to you..."

"Please, Rose. I insist."

Rose sighed. "Well...all right."

"Great. I'll pick Vanessa up from daycare and then we'll go on home. You're going to love her, Rose. She's a beautiful little girl."

Several minutes later they arrived at the daycare.

"I'm taking Vanessa home early today," Dimitri told the manager.

"I hope there's not a problem," the manager said.

"Oh, no, not at all," Dimitri assured her. "My friend here was just released from the hospital, and the three of us are going to spend some time together."

A few seconds later, a nursery attendant brought out the most beautiful little girl Rose had ever seen. She had curly dark blonde hair and Dimitri's brown eyes. In fact, her resemblance to Dimitri was quite remarkable. The little girl looked at Rose curiously.

"This is Vanessa," Dimitri said proudly. "Vanessa, this is Rose. She's a good friend of mine."

"Hi, Vanessa!" Rose exclaimed. Vanessa smiled at her. "What a beautiful little girl you are!"

"Thank you," Vanessa said shyly, peering at Rose from behind her father's legs.

"She's a little bit shy until she gets to know you," Dimitri explained.

They walked to the car, Dimitri fastened Vanessa into her car seat, and they were on their way.

"Who wants to go to McDonald's?" asked Dimitri.

"Me!" Vanessa shouted enthusiastically from the back seat.

Dimitri laughed and pulled the car into the parking lot of the nearest McDonald's. "Hurray!" Vanessa exclaimed.

Rose ordered a garden salad, saying that she wasn't very hungry. Dimitri gently urged her to order more.

"We've got to get you healthy and strong again, beautiful lady," he said. Finally she gave in and ordered chicken nuggets as well just to please him, knowing that she probably wouldn't be able to finish them all.

Dimitri and Rose slowly ate their meal while they watched Vanessa play in the indoor gym and ball pit.

"Watching her play makes me think of when I was a little girl and used to play on the jungle gym and slides," said Rose.

"I grew up in Russia," Dimitri told her. "I remember going to the park with my parents when I was Vanessa's age. I remember the river too. I used to love going there." He told Rose all about his memories of his early childhood in Russia until Vanessa began to get cranky.

"Sounds like somebody's ready for a nap," Dimitri chuckled.

"Not me!" Vanessa yawned mightily. Dimitri laughed, picked her up, and walked back to the car with Rose.

Dimitri sang to Vanessa in the car to keep her awake as he drove home. "If she goes to sleep in the car and then wakes up again when we stop, she'll be cranky all afternoon," he explained to Rose.

As soon as they were home, Dimitri took Vanessa into her bedroom and laid her in the bed and read her a story until she fell asleep.

"Down for a couple of hours," he said cheerfully, joining Rose in the living room. He sat beside her on the sofa, put his arms around her, and held her close. "So, what do you want to do?"


	11. Spending The Day With Dimitri N Vanessa

"Right now I'm happy just snuggling in your arms," Rose said, burying her face in Dimitri's shirt. "I missed you so much, Dimitri. That's why I stopped eating."

"You _what?" _He put his hands on her shoulders and looked into her eyes, shocked.

"After she forced me to break up with you, I stopped getting hungry. I didn't drink very much either. My heart was broken. I almost wanted the cancer to come and take me this time so I could stop hurting. One day I felt so tired and weak that I just lay down on the sofa, and the next thing I remember, I was waking up in the hospital and you were sitting by my bed."

"Oh, Roza," Dimitri whispered, clutching Rose tightly again as he tried desperately to stifle the rage he felt at Stacy. He wished that there were something more he could do to her than just having a restraining order filed against her. He longed to see her imprisoned for a very long time. Her actions had nearly cost Rose her life. If she were a man...but, no. He couldn't do anything to risk getting into trouble himself. There was Vanessa to think about. And now Rose as well...

"How did I get to the hospital, Dimitri?"

"I tried to call you and didn't get an answer, so I went to your home and rang your doorbell. When you didn't come to the door, I looked through the window and saw you lying on the sofa unconscious. I called the paramedics and they came and took you to the hospital."

"So you saved me again, Dimitri." Rose's voice was soft with wonder. "That's twice you've saved my life."

"I'm just so very glad I found you before it was too late." Rose heard the catch in his voice and felt a bit awkward. No man had ever cried over her before. So did that mean that Dimitri really did love her, after all?

"So, what do you think of Vanessa?" asked Dimitri.

"Oh, she's beautiful!" Rose exclaimed. "Such a precious little girl. You're such a lucky man, Dimitri."

"I know I am," he said soberly. "I thank God every day for her."

"I don't know how in the world she could have just abandoned that adorable little girl." Now Rose herself was near tears. "I certainly never could have if she were mine."

Dimitri's hand slowly covered hers and squeezed it. "Well, I'm certainly willing to share her with you as much as you like."

Rose smiled. To Dimitri, she'd never looked more beautiful than she did in that moment. He felt a warmth inside, a tenderness coupled with desire. Wouldn't it be wonderful if...he wasn't sure whether he dared hope.

After Vanessa awakened from her nap, they walked to the park, where Dimitri and Rose took turns pushing her in a swing. When it began to get dark they walked back home, Dimtri holding one of Vanessa's hands, Rose holding the other.

"So what shall we have for dinner tonight, Vanessa? Lasagna or stroganoff?" Dimitri held a couple of boxes of Hamburger Helper up. "Or shall we let Rose choose, since she's our guest?"

"Whatever Vanessa wants is fine with me," Rose said amiably.

"Stroganoff," Dimitri decided, putting the other box away. "Unfortunately it won't be nearly as good as my mother's, but it'll have to do."

"What can I do to help?" asked Rose.

"You can sit and relax and wait to be served." Dimitri grinned. "You're my guest, remember?"

After dinner they watched a couple of Strawberry Shortcake videos, and then it was time for Vanessa's bath. Dimitri read her a bedtime story and tucked her in, then rejoined Rose in the living room.

"Time for some more adult fare," he announced, turning Netflix on and browsing through the offered selection. "Anything you especially want to watch?"

"Whatever you want to watch is fine with me." Rose yawned.

"Ah, poor baby." Dimitri cupped her chin in his hands and gazed into her eyes. "We really wore you out today, didn't we?"

"That's all right," Rose told him. "I had more fun today than I've had since...since that day you took me to the amusement park."

"We'll go there again some day, I promise," Dimitri said tenderly.

"Do you think Vanessa likes me?"

"She adores you, Roza. Almost as much as her father does."


	12. Only The Best

Dimitri lay beside Rose and pulled her close to him. He saw that there were tears in her eyes and was instantly alarmed.

"What's wrong?" he whispered, tenderly brushing her tears away.

"I never stopped loving you, Dimitri," she admitted. "After you left, when you wrote and told me about Tasha, I tried. I tried _so _hard to forget about you, to find someone else to love, but it never worked out. It _never _worked out. And now I know why. It's because no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't forget about you. I just _couldn't."_

"Dearest Roza." Dimitri felt awkward, unsure of what to say. He felt terrible about the pain Rose had suffered as a teenager after he'd left, and he felt the overwhelming urge to protect her, to make sure that she never got hurt again. "At the risk of sounding selfish, I'm really glad you couldn't forget about me." He chuckled softly. "When I donated my bone marrow to you, I gave you a second chance at life, and now I feel like I've been rewarded with another chance to love you, and I swear to you, Rose, things will be different this time. I'm an adult now, and I can live wherever I want. I'll never have to leave you again, ever."

"But things are different in another way too now." She sniffled and reached for a tissue. He handed her the box. "I've got leukemia. True, it's in remission, but it might come back at any time, and even if it doesn't, there's still only a fifteen percent chance that I can ever give you a baby."

"Rose, as long as you're alive, that's the only thing that really matters to me. I don't give a darn whether or not we ever have a biological child together. Sure, I'd love for Vanessa to have a brother or sister some day, but if it doesn't happen, we can always adopt. It really is going to be OK, Roza. I _know _it is."

"When I found out I had leukemia, all I wanted was to live," Rose said. "I never in my wildest dreams imagined that because of it you'd come back to me, and not only that, but that you could actually love me, even with a leukemia diagnosis..."

"Of course I could! The leukemia wasn't your fault at all, Rose. You've been through so much, sweetheart, and all I want is for you to have nothing but happiness and love in your life from now on."

"Oh, Dimitri." Tears were streaming down her face. Tenderly he kissed them away, then held and caressed her until she fell asleep.

Dimitri awakened the next morning with Rose in his arms, the warmth of her skin against his own, the soft rise and fall of her chest as she took each breath. Memories of the previous night came flooding back to him, and he could scarcely believe that it had really happened, that she was really here in his arms, here in his heart. To him the years seemed to melt away and they were once again seventeen and fifteen, with their whole lives before them.

She stirred, and her eyes fluttered open. "Good morning, beautiful." He smiled and kissed her nose. She yawned. He laughed gently, squeezed her tightly, and kissed her forehead. She moaned softly and snuggled up to him as close as she could.

"Daddy?" Dimitri heard Vanessa's voice just outside the door.

"I'm coming, sweetie. Just a minute." Dimitri hurriedly dressed and tossed Rose's clothing to her. As soon as they were both presentable, he opened the door, scooped Vanessa up into his arms, and carried her to the bed, where he sat her down beside Rose.

"Good morning, sweetheart!" Rose smiled and awkwardly reached to hug the little girl, who trustingly went right into her arms.

"Are you gonna live here with me and Daddy now?" asked Vanessa.

"No, I'm just visiting for a few days," Rose replied.

"And what would you two lovely ladies like for breakfast?" asked Dimitri.

"I want cereal with marshmallows!" Vanessa crowed.

"And what will you have?" Dimitri asked Rose. "Pancakes, waffles, omelets, whatever you want..."

"It doesn't matter. Anything's fine," Rose told him.

"How about...ta da!...chocolate chip pancakes?"

"Hurray!" shouted Vanessa, jumping up and down.

"Chocolate chip pancakes it is, then!" Dimitri grinned. "Only the best for my girls."


End file.
